January 30, 2007

Go Ahead, "Make My Day Better"

Starting this week a state bill seeking to give protection from prosecution to people who use deadly force while protecting themselves at a business or in a vehicle will be debated.

It is called the “Make My Day Better” bill. The sponsor is State Representative Cory Gardner.

"Why should our ability to protect ourselves from harm be any different in our business or vehicle than it is in our home?” asked Gardner.

Gardner says the bill seeks to extend the protection given to people under the “Make My Day” law which is already on the books. According to that law, a person who has a reasonable belief that their life or their family’s life is in danger is justified to use any force necessary, including lethal force. That law deals with the domain of a person’s house only. Gardner’s bill seeks to extend that to businesses and cars.

“We need to stop treating victims like criminals,” Gardner said.

Democrats object to the possibility of an increase in vigilante justice, though it is more likely that they simply don't want to further extend gun rights (the main form of protection used in "deadly force"). On the other hand--

One thing Gardner and Fitz-Gerald agree on is the need for input from district attorneys and law enforcement.

The input from these groups is not only prudent, but welcome on the bill, and would certainly help to increase the type of fact-finding necessary to make the argument for the bill that much stronger. No doubt the potential for "deadly force" as a deterrent would increase if the law was extended to one's business and vehicle.

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